Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs is a biopic directed by Danny Boyle starring Michael Fassbender as the title character, with Kate Winslet by his side as head of marketing Joanna Hoffman, the cast being rounded up by Seth Rogen and Jeff Daniels among others. The movie is divided into three big scenes presenting tensional moments backstage before three major product launches, inviting the audience to take a peek at Steve Jobs' intriguing personality and the people surrounding him. 

I have to say this is a really good movie! I love the fact that the filmmakers used different styles of shooting to portray each period of time, namely 16mm for 1984, 35mm for 1988 and digital for 1998, a smart idea to show the passing of time. Moreover, I like the symmetry and simplicity of using three major locations for most of the movie.

Although there is not much action, the tension builds up every scene due to powerful performances from the actors and good screenwriting. The dialogue is smart and interesting, really letting us get a glimpse of what was going on in the mind behind Apple. Michael Fassbender was amazing in this role, he successfully managed to portray a character who can be hated but pitied at the same time for the way he treats those around him. He knows his worth and he never lets those around him forget about it, pushing them aside at the same time. Kate Winslet was also really good in her role of advisor, coworker, moral support and confident of Steve, who has been besides him the whole time.

All in all, I enjoyed this movie more that I thought I would, mainly because of the choice of presenting the story, relying on emotionally charged sequences before important product launches during his career, as well as smart dialogue and powerful performances. 

Spotlight

Spotlight is a movie directed by Tom McCharty starring Marc Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel Mcaddams, Stanley Tucci and some other good actors, following the true story of The Boston Globe's section, Spotlight, whose news journalists shone some light on a controversial topic about the Roman catholic priests who sexually abused many children in Boston and how the church covered up the scandals. I advise you not to do too much research about it before seeing the movie, it's better to discover it during the film, because as the case builds up, it gets more shocking.

I like this movie for the fact that it focuses on telling an important story and tries to do it as truthfully as it can, without any distractors. There is no high production value, it looks all right without trying too hard, relying only on good directing, a smart script and great performances from the ensemble cast and that's enough to get a great picture. I got the feeling that it actually looks borderline indie, or that you are watching a documentary, as the performances are very subtle without any dramatic exaggerations, which adds another cool layer to the film. All of the actors are fantastic, but for me Mark Ruffalo stood out with a slightly different performance than usual that worked well for the film.

All in all, the movie managed to tell its story without patronizing the audience in any way and it is a really well directed biopic that I recommend.

The Danish girl

The Danish girl is a movie directed by Tom Hooper (King's speech, Les miserbles), starring Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander in a pseudo biopic based on the fictional novel with the same name about one  of the first men known who has undergone surgery for sex reassignment.

I am not a big fan of period pieces, unless they are based in the 50' or 60', because the ones before that I find mostly boring, with rigid dialogue and unappealing costumes. So, I am not going to talk a lot about the movie per se, as I don't think it wouldn't be so good had it not been for the interesting theme and amazing performances from the leading actors. 

The main focus goes on Eddie Redmayne's heartbreaking performance who gives the character elegance and sincerity, proving yet again he is a good actor who lets his work speak for himself. However, I think Alicia Vikander deserves the spotlight for this picture. Rarely have I seen such a strong female character in a movie, with a story arc even more interesting than that of Lili's character and transformation. She slowly realizes her marriage falls apart and there is no going back, yet she is supporting of her husband in his search to become who he actually is, no questions asked.

I liked the theme of the movie and I believe the producers found a good moment to release it, as Caitlyn Jenner opened the conversation on this subject. It really is thought provoking in regards to gender roles, but I really enjoyed the way Edde Redmayne put it in an interview, saying that things are not black or white, male or female, but that there is a spectrum and people can be anywhere on it, which I find to be well said.

I suggest you watch this movie, not for the way it was made, as there is not much to say about that,  it's a regular film, but for the thought provoking theme and stellar performances.